User:DirtyMeStoryTime/Stupidity of technology and the law
From Create Your Own Story
So, there are many things which I have ran across here. Just let me categorize them:
Revenge porn: So, this is the first one. I will be completely honest, I hate this, and think the people who do this are bad, bad people. How would they like others to post their pics online with their real life info?
Disclaimer: I have been a victim of this.
So, at first, when I heard about laws being passed about this, at the beginning, I was like "Hooray! Finally someone is doing something to stop it".
But, then I started reading stuff from people smarter than me who discuss why these are bad.
1. Free speech: So, one point that was made is, for example, when someone catches a nipple slip of a celebrity, is it revenge porn since they released newsworthy (Barely, and not sure why people care so much, but I guess it technically is) pictures of people showing intimate parts? Most revenge porn laws make the publishing of photos without consent that contain "naughty bits" or "naughty acts" a crime under revenge porn laws. So, like publishing the Anthony Weiner picture would be considered this, even though it is newsworthy. So, where is this line?
2. Non-malicious: Some people have posted the intimate photos by accident, or in non-malicious ways, sometimes with consent that was later removed. So, should they be punished with a crime when they did it by accident, or with consent that was later removed?
3. Consensual crime: Some laws are so bad, that lets say I take a pic of my husband, I ask if I can post it, he agrees, I can still be in violation of some of these laws. Why? Because some are basically written that if the pic is not you, it automatically falls under revenge porn.
4. This is the big one: In every single revenge porn case so far, another law was correctly used to charge the person who did it. So, why do we have these laws if something can already fix it when applied? In these cases, this would just add double jeopardy laws, allowing you to be charged with two crimes for the same act.
Now, don't get me wrong. Revenge porn is horrible, and can literally destroy lives. But, since these situations normally involve breaking other laws already, can't we just use those instead of creating bad, knee jerk reaction laws?
Of course, revenge porn would have much less impact if people would stop slut shaming, body shaming, and judging others for nudity, but that is a different issue altogether.
Sexting: So, if I stand in front of a mirror, take a picture, and send it to my husband, there are no laws in place that I can get in trouble for violating (At least in my country). But, this is where underage sex and stupid laws come into conflict.
I guess I am glad that we didn't all have smart phones like we do now when I was growing up. There is a case where a male took a photo of himself when he was under 18, showing his private parts. A couple years later, when he was over 18, he let the police look through his phone trying to assist them in finding evidence of a completely unrelated crime. They found this photo he had taken.
The guy ends up being charged with possession of sexual photos of an underage person. He was charged as an adult for this, as being the perpetrator of this crime. He was also the victim.
Now, this guy will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life for having a photo of himself.
This scares me. For example: what happens to me if the police find my cute baby in the bath videos of my son? Do I possess child porn?
It is even scarier when you think of another case. A school somehow found an intimate picture on a couple students phones. After investigating, they had found over 100 students in that school had sent sexting pictures. So, when over 100 teenagers are now guilty of possessing and/or distributing child porn, don't you think the law needs to change? A law that is supposed to protect children and teens from being victimized instead turns them into victims for being stupid. Shit, if the police knew 3/4 of what I did when I was underage, there would be alot of trouble...
It gets even worse when you think about it. Two 16 year old teenagers can legally have sex, since it is the age of consent, a behavior that puts them at risk for things like STIs and pregnancy. Now, these two instead take pics of their parts, breast, butt, penis, and send to each other. They can be arrested and charged with possession, creation, and distribution of child porn. For taking pics of themselves...
How is this allowed? The law really needs looked into when the consequences of risky sex, like getting pregnant, is actually better than the consequences of non-risky (Well, as long as it is deleted, and not used in the revenge porn situation above, or sent to everyone, or etc) sharing of photos. I get pregnant: I struggle to live life as a teen mother, and all the consequences that comes with it. I get charged with creation/possession/distribution of child porn, I get permanently labeled as a sex offender, lose many rights, and get labeled by all society. At least a single mother can try to get a good job. Try to get a good job as a sex offender.
How is this even right?
